Sudan says rebels spread conflict outside Darfur

CAIRO, Oct 2 (Reuters) – A Sudanese official accused rebels in the west of the country of attacking a town outside the Darfur region in an effort to widen a conflict that the United Nations says has killed up to 50,000.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Najib Abdulwahab said the attack had been a “hit-and-run” style operation on Ghubeish town in Western Kordofan state, about 700 km (450 miles) southwest of the capital, Khartoum.

“Last week, Darfur rebel forces attempted to widen the scope of the conflict into Kordofan when they launched an attack and killed and injured 20 people,” Abdulwahab told Reuters by telephone from Khartoum.

Rebel officials were not immediately available to comment but independent Sudanese daily Akhbar al-Yawm reported on Saturday that “Tora Bora” rebels from Darfur attacked a police station in al-Majrur town in Western Kordofan on Friday.

Some Sudanese use the term “Tora Bora” to refer to the two Darfuri rebel groups which launched an uprising against Khartoum in early 2003, the Justice and Equality Movement and the Sudan Liberation Movement.

The newspaper said the rebels told local people they were in control of al-Majrur and would attack Ghubeish, which is nearby.

Abdulwahab said he did not have details of the latest attack.

The revolt broke out following years of low-level fighting between Arab nomads and non-Arab farmers over scarce resources.

The United States has labelled the violence in Darfur genocide, blaming killings on the Sudanese government and Arab Janjaweed militia, which Khartoum has been accused of arming.

The U.N. Security Council has threatened Sudan with possible sanctions if it fails to stop the violence in Darfur, which has continued despite a ceasefire agreed between the government and rebels in Chad in April.